It’s Chariots of fire for England
Make or break at the Battle of Twickenham against Wallabies
THE Pool A maths are complicated and the permutations many, but hosts England go into today’s showdown with Australia knowing defeat means an exit from the Rugby World Cup in the opening round for the first time.
A week after their shock 28-25 defeat to Wales stopped their campaign in its tracks, the hosts must rouse themselves for yet another high pressure encounter at Twickenham.
“It is a huge game,” England coach Stuart Lancaster said. “We respect the quality of opposition but we know we can beat them.”
England have indeed won four of their last five matches against Australia but Lancaster and his opposite number Michael Cheika, are aware that World Cups are markedly different from June and November tours.
The match renews a rivalry that has taken in two World Cup finals, resulting in one win apiece, and is traditionally presented as a clash between Australia’s backline Cavaliers and the muscle-bound Roundheads of England’s pack.
Both teams have moved to augment their traditional strengths and address their weaknesses in the run-up to this tournament, however, and it could be the success or otherwise of those efforts that will decide today’s match.
Lancaster has talent out wide and has brought more creativity into his backline with the recall from injury of Jonathan Joseph at outside centre and the relegation of rugby league convert Sam Burgess to the bench.
It is, however, still on the forwards that England will pin their hopes of a victory that would keep alive their bid to win a second World Cup.
Cheika was given a wake-up call going to be different is on the field on Saturday night and that’s where we’ve got to show our colours. Talk’s cheap, you know.”
A key confrontation could be in the backrow where Australia’s world-class openside flankers David Pocock and Michael Hooper will take on an England loose trio without a recognised “fetcher”.
England, for their part, will hope the combined muscle mass of Tom Wood, skipper Chris Robshaw and Ben Morgan will help overwhelm the Australians. The teams are: ENGLAND: Joe Marlerl; Tom Youngs, Dan Cole, Joe Launchbury, Geoff Parling; Tom Wood, Chris Robshaw (capt); Ben Morgan, Ben Youngs, Owen Farrell, Jonny May, Brad Barritt, Jonathan Joseph, Anthony Watson, Mike Brown. Reserves: Rob Webber, Mako Vunipola, Kieran Brookes, George Kruis, Nick Easter, Richard Wigglesworth, George Ford, Sam Burgess.
AUSTRALIA: Scott Sio; Stephen Moore (capt), Sekope Kepu, Kane Douglas, Rob Simmons; Scott Fardy, Michael Hooper; David Pocock, Will Genia, Bernard Foley, Rob Horne, Matt Giteau, Tevita Kuridrani, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Israel Folau. Reserves: Tatafu Polota-Nau, James Slipper, Greg Holmes, Dean Mumm, Ben McCalman, Nick Phipps, Matt Toomua, Kurtley Beale.
Referee: Romain Poite (France) — Reuters